Wendy Dio Hopes Ronnie James Dio Hologram Tour Will Hit U.S. in Summer of 2018

The "Dio Returns" tour is slated to kick off in early December where fans of the metal legend will have the first chance to witness the full Ronnie James Dio hologram tour package with the Dio Disciples band. After the hologram made its debut at the Wacken Open Air festival in Germany in the summer of 2016, fans have been eager to learn when they too can catch a glimpse at this forward-thinking technology. For those in the U.S., it looks like next summer will be it!

"We will start December 6th in Germany; we're doing a couple of shows in Germany. Then we're doing London, we're doing Poland, Bucharest, three [shows] in Spain, Belgium and Holland. So that's from the 6th of December to the 22nd of December," began Ronnie's widow and longtime manager, Wendy Dio, when speaking with Lucas H. Gordon (video below).

"And then we're in talks about doing some in South America — in Argentina, Chile, Brazil — and a big Mexican tour, actually," she continued, adding, "Hopefully everything's good by then. So we're in talks about that. That would be in February. And then we're hoping for America for the summer."

Since the hologram's debut, fans have been torn about the concept. Some have ardently backed the digitized Dio, realizing it can help spread Ronnie's music and offer an escape to the world of fantasy he entertained us with throughout his career, especially for those who never had the chance to stand in awe of his dominant voice and mythical presence. Others, however, have questioned the morality of the ordeal. Wendy and a cast of others who were close to Ronnie have stated they feel he would have supported this endeavor.

Earlier this year, in an interview with Talking Metal, Wendy revealed that there's "at least" three unreleased Dio solo songs and suggested there's a chance Ronnie's book detailing his life and career will be issued in 2018. She also has ambitions for a documentary on the horn-flashing icon.

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